FOUND A JAR OF MANZANILLA OLIVES -

Purging out my spice cabinet, packing the unopened spices to take to Sicily and way down at floor level (it's a small cabinet next to the stove only about 2-foot wide, six-inches deep and about 4-foot high that is between wall studs) I found a jar of Manzanilla olives -- the green ones from Spain.

These were Kahlua's olives, she loved to lick the juice off of them -- sometimes even gnawed on one a bit. She was a true Spaniard! Kahlua right before I took her to the vet -- Indy and Kahlua a few minutes later

KAHLUA'S CROSSED THE RAINBOW BRIDGE

When an pet dies who has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....


It's time to let her go...she had been getting steadily frailer and lately she barely eating and sat in a corner of the room almost all the time ...but she had been part of our lives for nearly 15 years....I'm not ready to let her go...but I don't want her to hurt any more... I miss Kahlua.... Indy keeps wandering around the condo meowing ... Dr. Beneviedes examined Kahlua this morning and agreed that it was time to let her go...I was going to sit with her while she went to sleep and tell her how much we would miss her (I was to wait outside while the shot was given, I didn't think I could handle seeing the injection)...but she slipped away as soon as the medicine was given. My mind knows that this was best...but it still hurts.... I miss my kitty-dog. I am glad that Dr. B was there....she took care of my kitten. I wish Kahlua could have been taken outside so that she could have gone to sleep in the sunshine and fresh air ..... Bye Kahlua....we'll miss you....lots.........

OLD PICTURE - CHRIS ON MT FUJI

Closing one of my Email addresses --- so purging Emails. This waas taken while he was doing a NROTC summer cruise in Japan - I think it was 2002.

Hooray! He made it to the top!

His Fuji-stick had all the insignias from the various stopping points going up Mt. Fuji -- regretfully .... his stick was distroyed on an accident after coming back Stateside.

OLD COMIC - RICKY AND ORDERS TO DIEGO

Subject: Before you transfer Remember it could be worse love you, Chris

{another an old email from my son - he can find some wonderful pieces}

BYE HONEY -- DON'S OFF AND ON HIS WAY

Don left Saturday for Sicily ... he'll soon be again sitting on the stones in the Valley of the Temples (like he is in this picture from November). I miss him, the cats miss him (especially Kahlua, his kitty-dog, she's been sitting in a corner facing the wall since he left). With the housing market going south, I may join him sooner than planned. I have options that may suit me better than real estate -- maybe not as much money possible -- but better suited to my personality type. Have to consider so I make a well-thought out choice.

WHY AM I DOING THIS?

Labor Day was yesterday --- instead of enjoying the day with my family, I am participating in a drug test study. I checked in yesterday morning by 0700 and won't be able to leave until Wednesday around noon-time. I repeat the cycle for the next three weeks.
So why am I doing? Oh yeah -- $4200.
Amazing what people will do for money. How goofy.

A butterfly Don and I saw when we went down to the Tall Sailing Ships festival downtown San Diego last week.

RICK OR LONG TIME NO SEE

Rick is a friend from our time stationed at NAWC Pax River back 1992-1995.... Don has seen him a few times the last couple of years, but neither Chris nor I have seen Rick since leaving Pax. So good to see him. He has recently retired from the Navy and is taking a few months off to relax before starting a new career. Don, Chris and I were all highly involved with Boy Scouts back then...got Rick involved and even now he still is active. Has been doing 50-milers with his troop in Ventura County.

CHRIS AND HIS BIRTHDAY

Chris came down from Ridgecrest to spend his birthday week with us....sadly, I was working with a client and didn't get to spend as much time with him as I wanted. Here Don and Chris wrestle on the couch (run cats!)


We went over to see the car barns at Simpson Nursery in Jamul.......wonderful collection!

DO NOT STAND AT MY GRAVE

Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there, I do not sleep.
I am in a thousand winds that blow,
I am the softly falling snow.
I am the gentle showers of rain,
I am the fields of ripening grain.
I am in the morning hush,
I am in the graceful rush
Of beautiful birds in circling flight,
I am the starshine of the night.
I am in the flowers that bloom,
I am in a quiet room.
I am in the birds that sing,
I am in each lovely thing.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there. I do not die.

--------generally attributed to Mary Frye

PADRES GAME (OR THE CURSE CONTINUES...)

Don, his supervisor Loren and I were at Petco Park last Friday for a Padres game....we lost (as usual, Don and Loren have cursed
the team) .... but we did get to see the San Diego Chicken (and chick-lets)...here they try to hypnotise the visiting team

52 TINY CHANGES IDEAS

Found this at http://www.encouragingcoach.com/52/projects-52archives.htm

-Tiny Change #1 : Go to bed ½ hour earlier and wake up ½ earlier than usual
-Tiny Change #2 : Go to your favorite bookstore to pick out a journal and start writing
-Tiny Change #3 : Read at least 15 minutes a day
-Tiny Change #4 :Organize your junk drawer
-Tiny Change #5 :Have a daily quiet time
-Tiny Change #6 :Start an exercise program for 15 min. a day
-Tiny Change #7 :Get together with a friend at least once a month
-Tiny Change #8: Start a Debt Reduction Plan
-Tiny Change #9: Write out an evening routine that will prepare you for the next day
-Tiny Change #10: Have a family night to play games, eat together, or do something fun as a family
-Tiny Change #11: Take the last few minutes of the work day to straighten up and plan for the day ahead
-Tiny Change #12: Do a random act of kindness
-Tiny Change #13: Begin carrying a bottle of water to get your 8 glasses a day
-Tiny Change #14:Write birthdays on a calendar, so you can let others know you care for them
-Tiny Change #15: Visualize the day you want to have while taking your morning shower
-Tiny Change #16: Remember to laugh: rent a comedy, get silly with friends, or read a funny book
-Tiny Change #17: Write out a morning routine that includes personal time, household duties and family
-Tiny Change #18: Surprise your significant other with a fun date
-Tiny Change #19: Do your most important priority at your peak energy time
-Tiny Change #20: Enjoy nature- take a hike, sit on the beach, dance in the rain
-Tiny Change #21: Whenever you feel yourself getting tense, slow down and breathe
-Tiny Change #22: Make a plan to regularly call your family
-Tiny Change #23: Subscribe to a magazine related to work and schedule time to read it
-Tiny Change #24: Forget the mistakes of yesterday, today is too important to miss
-Tiny Change #26: Practice really listening to someone
-Tiny Change #27: Take two minute breaks during your work day to breathe, walk, look out the window
-Tiny Change #28: Sincerely Compliment Others
-Tiny Change #29: Get 7-8 hours of sleep a night
-Tiny Change #30: Resign from one committee, volunteer post, or duty you don't really like
-Tiny Change #31: Take time for your hobbies at least a few times a month
-Tiny Change #32: Play a little every evening
-Tiny Change #33: Set up a filing system for your mail: to do, finance, other family members, or to file
-Tiny Change #34: Pack a lunch instead of eating fast food
-Tiny Change #35: Memorize scripture, an inspirational quote, or a poem to give you a lift during the day
-Tiny Change #36: Set up appointments for doctor, dentist, hairstylist, etc.
-Tiny Change #37: Plan to leave 10 minutes early for all your appointments
-Tiny Change #38: Take a big vacation once a year, and mini weekend vacations throughout the year-even if you are just staying home
-Tiny Change #39: Go through your clothes and give away what you don’t need, want or fit into
-Tiny Change #40: Make sure your work chair and desk are ergonomically correct
-Tiny Change #41: Quit lying and making excuses to yourself
-Tiny Change # 42: Stretch daily
-Tiny Change # 43: When someone asks you how you are doing say, “Fantastic”, not “Really busy.”
-Tiny Change # 44: Focus attention on a special person, really connect with them
-Tiny Change # 45: Ask someone for help
-Tiny Change # 46: Nurture a child
-Tiny Change # 47: Make a list of 100 things you are thankful for
-Tiny Change # 48: Write a letter of appreciation to your significant other or a friend
-Tiny Change # 49: Do one thing you have been procrastinating about
-Tiny Change # 50: Take time each evening to let go and to forgive
-Tiny Change # 51: Use music to energize you or relax you
-Tiny Change # 52: Focus on one project to complete this week

EARTHQUAKE IN LA TODAY

There was a 5.4 earthquake in Los Angeles today. I didn't feel it, Don thinks he did, the cats are VERY affectionate follow us everywhere in the condo.

ABC'S ABOUT ME

A: Attached or single? Attached....most definitely
B: Best friend? Lyndsay or Terry
C: Cake or pie? Cherry pie with crumb topping!
D: Day of choice? Saturday
E: Essential item? a book to read, laptop is a close runner-up
F: Favorite color? Emerald green... always has been!
G: Gummy what? Sharks
H: Hometown? Depends on where we are stationed... San Diego right now, Sicily in a few months
I: Ice cream flavour? Peach sorbet
J: January or July? either. January is a fresh start, lots of hopes and plans. July is warm and time to kick back and relax.
K: Kids: One son, Chris
L: Life isn't complete without? Somewhere to belong
M: Marriage date? May 4
N: Number of brothers or sisters? Unknown, I was adopted. My adopted mother had a son and daughter, the son includes me in his family -- the daughter has always refused to acknowledge my existance
O: Oranges or apples? Fresh squeezed orange juice -- though granny smith apples are wonderful!
P: Phobias? Snakes!!
Q: Quotes? "It's better to do good than to do well" - unknown
R: Reasons to smile? My son, hubby, the cats, Mark Yuzik's shows, lots of things
S: Season of choice? Spring
T: Tag 5 people. Rather not.
U: Unknown fact about me. Lactose-intolerant
V: Vegetable? Fresh tomatoes
W: Worst habit? Boredom munching
X: X-ray or Ultrasound? Ultrasound...hands down!
Y: Your favorite food? Chips
Z: Zodiac sign? Cancer

FLOODING in RIDGECREST?? THE DESERT??

Chris' Email:
It rained for about an hour and a half today and here are the results. The house across the street is 1.5' under muddy water and the American Legion across the street is probably a little under as well. My place is up a ramp -- so we are good to go. There were a lot of idiots racing through the streets with some flooding out as well. Well, I guess we have a lake here now. What a novelty... China Lake (near Death Valley and also in the middle of the desert) finally has a lake.

INDEPENDENCE DAY 2008 part 3

Sunset looking north at the Coronado Bay Bridge.....

ooooooooohhhhhhh......aaaaahhhhhh.....pretty.....

INDEPENDENCE DAY 2008 part 2

Hooray! The sails are up!


looking back at downtown San Diego....

.....and at the USS MIDWAY (now a museum)

Looking north at the Coronado Bay Bridge ....

INDEPENDENCE DAY 2008 part 1

Chris waiting to board the USS CALIFORNIA

Onboard the USS CALIFORNIA

Looking Back at the Sailing Ship STAR OF INDIA and the Maritine Museum

Hauling up the sails!

SAN DIEGO COUNTY FAIR 2008

This year's theme was "Sports!" -- so the Don Diego statue at the main gate needed to be appropriately dressed. Each year he is decorated to reflect the theme.
Checking out the llamas with weird haircuts!
Swifty Swine Pig races -- always a Hoot!! At the finish line is an Oreo cookie on a tray for the winner to eat!
Swifty, the baby pot-belly pig that competes each year for the Guinness book of records for a 12-week-old pig swimming an 8-foot tank. "Go Swifty - go"

The Turkey Stampede -- something new for all three of us to see! What a riot!



Don and Chris at the turkey races.
Chris came for a week to visit...unfortunately I had training that week - but we did go to the fair and also saw the 4th July fireworks from the deck of the USS CALIFORNIA, the official state sailing ship.

GOING BACK TO SICILY!

Don has accepted a job with M7 maintaining the Admiral's plane -- woo hoo! We're going back to Sicily! I'll go over after New Year's. back to the land of wonderful foods -- travel --and the rest. Bad part is we will be on the other side of the world from Chris.

MOTHER'S DAY 2008

DH Don and I spent the morning at a U-pick in Carlsbad picking strawberries. We came back with nearly 12 pounds of them -- most were eaten within a few days. A few were frozen whole for use in smoothies. As soon as the desktop computer comes back from the repair shop I can post some pictures. The following week DH and I went to Kalamazoo to help DMIL-DFIL with repairs/upgrades to DH's grandmother's house to put it on the market.

KITTY-DOG AND INDY

Wanted to show our Spanish Siamese, Indianapolis 500 (we call her Indy because when we first got her as akitten she would go charging all around the house) and Kahlua, our domestic short-hair. We call Kahlua our kitty-dog because she greets my husband when he comes home from work each night and follows him around like a puppy - even to waiting on the bathroom rug for him to finsh his shower.